The Strawberry Confessional
by Verboten Byacolate
Summary: Ichigo/Rukia. Age knows not love. "You need to stop using Yuzu's shampoo, Ichigo. You smell fruity." No, that's wrong: Love knows not age. Yes. That's it. Pt. 4: A day, a request, an arrangement, a dress, and still no chocolate in sight.
1. you're choking

"Hey, Ichigo."

Even the top of the staircase smelled like concrete, though the scent of sky was mixed in. Rukia groped for the small cardboard box on the other side of her carrot-top companion and snatched it, pulling out one of its innards. The pocky happened to be strawberry flavored. He gave her a venom-lackluster glare and grabbed it back, sticking three of the sticks into his mouth.

"What?"

The knee-length denim of her skirt exposed the slightest bit of knee skin as Rukia hugged her legs close to her chest. The wind current took an upward turn and the scent of the Kurosaki home lifted from her lavender sweater and into her senses. Yuzu had been kind enough to wash her laundry. And pack the pocky in her pocket. And sew a tiny strawberry-shaped "good luck charm" on the inside of her collar that she would never let Ichigo see.

"What would you think if someone old enough to be your great grandmother fell in love with you?"

The Kuchiki didn't bother to turn and look when she heard gagging noises to her left. She presumed that it was probably Ichigo choking on three different sticks of pocky that he'd inhaled from shock.

"What? Love?! What's this, all of the sudden?"

"It's a question, idiot, and it would do you best to answer."

She glanced to the left. He'd pulled out the sticks and was staring at them intensely. He was unsuccessful in melting them with his mind.

"What would I think? Geez... What a weird question." Ichigo rubbed the back of his head and dropped the deadly pocky trio. "Well, I guess... it would depend on the person."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Like..." Ichigo scratched at his cheek. "It would be really weird if a human granny loved me."

She caught it. Oh, she caught it.

"... Human?"

She'd caught it, and her interest was piqued.

"That's what I said, isn't it?"

She'd caught it and he knew. His face, orangepinkyellow from the setting sun was hidden behind an embarrassed hand as he looked away.

"So... what if it wasn't human?"

"Nel's nearly an infant," he grumbled. The wind tousled his hair and sleeves and shoved their essence in her face as if to say, _'Smell me, I'm delicious!' _And they wouldn't be lying. He must have used Yuzu's fruity shampoo by accident. Could the day BE any more strawberry-coated?

"I'm not talking about Nel."

The scrape of denim on concrete is loud in his ears and he can tell that she used Yuzu's shampoo too, if not more intentionally than he had. Her shrimpy shoulder was warm.

He hated admitting when it was time to forfeit.

"You already live in my closet, Granny. What more do you want?"

Her cheek on his shoulder wasn't bad, either.

"Pocky daily would be nice."

What a tease. She could have told him that sticking another four sticks in his gob would end badly.

"Then you should have confessed to Yuzu, midget."

-fin-

**Heh. Finally. Some hardcore IchiRuki fluff. (You know this is as sugary as they get. Don't deny it.) It's short. Like Rukia. -snickersnicker-  
Review for the cause: team Bya is working night and day for the Make Rukia Gain Height foundation, and your donations help every bit! It's a GOOD CAUSE, plzkthx.  
-Bya  
**


	2. crap for eyes, maybe chocolate

"Hey."

He sits on a concrete bench, she is partially standing because she was indignant and angry at his insults and fed up with sitting around this numbskull who insisted that "he was so much bigger and stronger, compared to _this skinny mass of bones and flesh,_" and she has a fistful of his shirt in her tiny fist, and they are both glaring as if both had been terribly wronged. (But Rukia had been the only one spurned: Ichigo simply always had that look.)

"Hey what?"

For once, they are nose to nose. (Which is very rare, very abnormal. There is never a time when she is not three heads shorter, or an arm's-length above his head before an exile's drop shorter _you imbecile, what if I had died??_) She likes it this way. He can't chide her. He can't throw her. She can easily see his eyes. She always felt more comfortable when she could see someone's eyes. (Hanataro, for instance. She got along with him quite nicely.) It took the superiority out of everything. It puts her in a good mood.

"You're really close, you know that?" He's not nervous. He's not abashed. He's definitely not flustered. It's just a question. (A really obvious one.)

"Yes." Her answer is as simple as his is obvious. Simple. She likes it that way. So does he. Complicated things are an annoyance. Best to be straightforward. "I think I might kiss you." Much easier than beating around the bush. It could be a joke. Most likely. "Would you mind?" Most likely not.

Ichigo regards her carefully with his eyes. Very brown. She likes brown. Not as much as yellow, but she could deal. It wasn't too far off.

"Nah."

She could probably reconsider, punch him in the face, and call it a joke. She could hold it above his head later that he _wouldn't mind if little ol' me kissed you! How sweet! I might take you up on that, darling Strawberry._ She could, and she probably should.

Then again...

She might have just tugged a teensy bit on his shirt. She might have also noticed that he allowed himself to be tugged. And she might have just enjoyed the whole thing a little. Or a lot.

Concrete seems to be their _thing_.

- fin -

**I was torn between adding this to Strawberry Confessional or letting it stand alone. But the whole concrete thing made me reconsider. Yay for female mentality!  
Reviews would be amazing. Like cream on strawberries. The ones I dropped when I tripped clumsily down the stairs of Rukia's first confession. PLEASE ADD CREAM TO MY NOW-USELESS, INEDIBLE STRAWBERRIES!!  
-Bya**


	3. like S and M, but not

Both confessions so far have been Rukia's, so I think it's time to man this fic up.  
Kubo is the (rich) mastermind here, not I.

--

Rukia knew something was up when he stretched her cheeks out double the length of her face. Not only did it hurt, but the reason for such abuse had gone unfounded-- this time, she'd done absolutely nothing to provoke him. So, she surmised, it would be completely fair and square to punch Ichigo in the face.

(She couldn't reach it, so she bit his hand instead.)

When Ichigo literally kicked her out of his closet the third time ("You've got your own room now, so sleep in it!"), unwilling to listen to her completely valid reasoning ("For the love of Bankai, I'm just not used to that room! Give me time, fool!"), she kicked him in the shins, and knocked him to the floor before taking over his own bed.

Rukia was a bit perplexed, a little more worried, and extremely annoyed by the fact that every time he provoked her and she fought back, he seemed… happy. Sated, at least. It was odd, and kind of creepy. When Ichigo mocked her art, she'd punch him in the jaw. Hard. And instead of crying (normal reaction), he'd smirk (abnormal reaction). When she elbowed him, he cursed, but didn't attempt to retaliate. Ditto the kneeing of the groin, the yanking of the hair, and the stomping of the toes.

__

Oh no… he's turning into Kon…!

By the time she'd received her first noogie ever (with illegitimate reasoning), Rukia decided it was time for Ichigo to pay the piper.

"What on earth is wrong with you?!" she asked, yanking him down nearly eye-level by his collar. "Your abuse is escalating, and quite frankly, it's pissing me off. Are you a masochist, or are you just stupid?"

"You're just mad that you can't claw my eyes out because you're vertically challenged," Ichigo retorted, giving her head another fierce rub. She yelled, slapping his hand away.

"I get it now-- you're a _stupid _masochist! You've got S and M! That's why you fought Kenpachi, and sparred with Ikkaku, and got sliced up by Renji, and continue to irritate Ishida, and--"

"Shut up," he said, cutting her off irritably. "I just wanted you to touch me, idiot."

Rukia set her ranting to pause and blinked. "… Oh?"

Ichigo's face burned. Oh, that she would blush as oft as he.

"Yeah, well… since you… you know… well, since that time, we've never really done anything about it, so…"

Rukia understood. Ichigo may not have realized it, but she was a very understanding person. Probably more so than most. So she let go of his collar and touched her hand to his face.

… with the force of twelve basic kidous.

"STUPID MAN. If that's what you want, say so in the first place!"

She left him on the floor, numb and twitching, and departed for his much coveted closet.

__

-fin-

****

… So much for manning it up.  
Much appreciation for those who read-- even more for those who review (plzkthx). My heart is in your hands.  
-Bya


	4. Valentine given, received, DENIED

This dumb little thing has been nominated on a fan website. (Check my LJ for the site). I was so stunned and thrilled that I had to add another chapter. Thank you all for being absolutely brilliant. X3  
This is my first time writing Tatsuki. Just so you know.

* * *

"Ichigo doesn't like dark chocolate."

She glanced up at Tatsuki from her book with a furrowed brow.

"Excuse me?"

"Valentine's Day is coming up. I just thought you'd like to know."

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about."

Sighing, Arisawa sank down into a seat beside Rukia. Homeroom wouldn't start for five more minutes, plenty of time to give her ignorant classmate the down low. "February fourteenth is Valentine's Day. It's a day where people exchange gifts. Sort of like Christmas, except much more frills, chocolate, hearts, and chocolate hearts."

"I see."

"... You look like it doesn't concern you."

Rukia blinked. "Would you like a gift from me, Arisawa?"

"NO." Tatsuki waved her hands fervently in front of her face. "Lord, no! It's... more of a lovers' holiday."

"I see."

"... You still look like it doesn't concern you."

Rukia cocked her head to the side and placed the book face-down on her desk. "I don't understand. Why would it concern me that Ichigo doesn't like chocolate on a lovers' holiday?" Tatsuki looked at her pointedly. "I don't give him chocolate on any other day of the year, so why would I start now? On a day for lovers, no less?"

Tatsuki sighed. "I suppose this holiday is for friends, too... Look. Just give him something terribly embarrassing, all right?"

"Embarrassing?"

"Flowers. Or a teddy bear. Or something else girly. You're together, aren't you?"

"All day, every day."

Tatsuki somehow refrained from slamming her head against the desk in defeat.

* * *

Ichigo lowered his magazine at his closetmate's clearing of the throat. In her outstretched arms she held a white box wrapped in red ribbon.

"I was informed earlier this week that today is a day for lovers and friends to exchange gifts. I have crafted yours using my own hands, along with those of your good friend Ishida. Please accept this gift."

Sitting up immediately, Ichigo took the box in his hands, slowly savoring the seconds it took to slide the ribbon away and pry the lid of the box off. He removed the pink tissue paper and peered inside.

"..."

"Go on now, say something! Admit that I have marvelous taste!"

"..."

"It matches your eyes!"

"..."

"You'll look ravishing, boy. Put it on and show your family."

"... I'd die first."

* * *

"Arisawa, I did it!"

Tatsuki looked in surprise as Rukia waved at her from the dojo's doorway. "How did you know I was here? And why are you here? Don't you know what time it is?"

Rukia waved her hands in front of her face flippantly. "Ichigo told me I would find you here. And I did it. I gave him a Valentine."

Tatsuki patted the perspiration away from her forehead, gazing at Rukia with faint surprise. "You did? What was it?"

"I have to utilize nearly all of Yuzu's necessities so I don't own many girly things, but Ishida helped me fashion a dress that would be Ichigo's size."

The martial artist stared.

"A... a dress?"

"Yes." Rukia looked incredibly proud. "After I presented the dress to him, he became momentarily speechless. And then he told me that I would be receiving 'zilch for White Day.'"

Tatsuki hooted with laughter for a few minutes until she noticed Rukia's troubled face. Wiping tears of mirth from her eyes, the black belt asked what was up.

"Please explain to me the meanings of 'zilch' and 'White Day.'"

Arisawa Tatsuki was in for a long night.


End file.
